The empirical calibration of Granier-type heat dissipation sap flow probes that relate temperature difference (DeltaT) to sap velocity (v) was reevaluated in stems of three tropical tree species. The original calibration was confirmed when the entire heated probe was in contact with conducting xylem, but mean v was underestimated when part of the probe was in contact with nonconducting xylem or bark. Analysis of the effects of nonuniform sap velocity profiles on heat dissipation estimates showed that errors increased as v and the proportion of the probe in nonconducting wood increased. If half of a 20-mm probe is in sapwood with a v of 0.15 mm s(-1) and the other half is in nonconducting wood, then mean v for the whole probe can be underestimated by as much as 50%. A correction was developed that can be used if the proportion of the probe in nonconducting wood is known. Even with the entire heated probe in contact with conducting xylem, v would be underestimated when radial velocity gradients are present. In this case, the error would be smaller except when velocity gradients are very steep, as can occur in species with ring-porous wood anatomy. Errors occur because the relationship between DeltaT and v is nonlinear. Mean DeltaT along the probe is therefore not a measure of mean v, and users of heat dissipation probes should not assume that v is integrated along the length of the probe. The same type of error can occur when DeltaT is averaged through time while v is changing, but the error is small unless there are sudden, step changes between zero and high sap velocity. It is recommended that relatively short probes (20 mm or less) be used and that probes longer than the depth of conducting sapwood be avoided. Multiple probes inserted to a range of depths should be used in situations where steep gradients in v are expected. If these conditions are met, heat dissipation probes remain useful and widely applicable for measuring sap flow in woody stems.

No abstract

Green plants are Earth's primary solar energy collectors. They harvest the energy of the Sun by converting light energy into chemical energy stored in the bonds of sugar molecules. A multitude of carefully orchestrated transport processes are needed to move water and minerals from the soil to sites of photosynthesis and to distribute energy-rich sugars throughout the plant body to support metabolism and growth. The long-distance transport happens in the plants' vascular system, where water and solutes are moved along the entire length of the plant. In this review, the current understanding of the mechanism and the quantitative description of these flows are discussed, connecting theory and experiments as far as possible. The article begins with an overview of low-Reynolds-number transport processes, followed by an introduction to the anatomy and physiology of vascular transport in the phloem and xylem. Next, sugar transport in the phloem is explored with attention given to experimental results as well as the fluid mechanics of osmotically driven flows. Then water transport in the xylem is discussed with a focus on embolism dynamics, conduit optimization, and couplings between water and sugar transport. Finally, remarks are given on some of the open questions of this research field.

Many trees in tropical dry forests flower during the dry season when evaporative demand is high and soil water levels are low. In this study the factors influencing the water balance of flowers from three species of dry forest trees were examined. Flowers had greater mucilage contents than leaves, high intrinsic and absolute capacitances, long time constants for water exchange and high transfer resistances. Flower water potentials were higher than in leaves and did not fluctuate over the lifespan of the flower. Flower water content also remained constant even though evaporation rates were high, suggesting that water was being supplied from the stem. In two of the species, the water potential gradient between flowers and leaves was opposite to that necessary for water transport from stem to flowers through the xylem, and it was therefore hypothesized that water may enter the flower through the phloem. Calculations showed that nectar production in these flowers could drive a sink of sufficient magnitude to allow water input via the phloem equal to water lost from the flower to the atmosphere.

Veins are the main irrigation system of the leaf lamina and an understanding of the hydraulic architecture of the vein networks is essential for understanding leaf function. However, determination of leaf hydraulic parameters is challenging, because for most leaves the vein system is reticulate, contains a hierarchy of different vein sizes, and consists of leaky conduits. We present a new approach that allows for measurements of pressure differences between the petiole and any vein within the leaf. Measurements of Laurus nobilis leaves indicate that first-and second-order veins have high axial conductance and relatively small radial permeability, thus allowing water to reach distal areas of the leaf with only a small loss of water potential. Higher order veins tend to be more hydraulically resistant and permit greater radial leakage. This design allows for a relatively equitable distribution of water potential and thus reflects the capacity of the venation to provide a relatively homogeneous water supply across the leaf lamina, with only the leaf margins being hydraulically disadvantaged relative to the rest of the leaf.